Rob's Latest Snippits

Hello.  I thought I would pop in with some quick bits on this rainy Saturday afternoon of the Thanksgiving long weekend.  I returned to work this past week and it's going good so far.  Anxiety on the first day but that was expected.  I really have to watch my posture while driving my forklift, especially how I hold my head and neck.  If I only had to work 5 or 6 hours a day, it would be easier to work myself into things again; but that's not how my work rolls.  Anyway, enough about that.  This is Rob and the animals so let's go....

Dark-eyed juncos started showing up in our backyard a couple weeks ago.  When I first heard them, I thought I was imagining things.  Then I thought I was mistaking the call for another bird.  Then I finally saw one.  Man, they are early this year.  What's up with that?  I mean, I am happy to see them again but when they are here, we know that winter is going to be here before we know it (and this was in the first week of autumn when I saw the juncos).  I haven't tried to for a photo yet.  If you are new to birds and unsure what a junco is, I attached a link at the start of this paragraph.

Then more recently, we had a nice surprise from the bird world as a small flock of purple finches briefly stopped in here.  I'm certain I counted 5 birds and one of the males sat in our holly bush, making for a nice photo.  I shot this from our back door before stepping outside as I didn't want to spook him away.  

He sampled a holly berry but ended up spitting it out.  Then he went to our fountain for a drink and a splash.  Purple finches are seldom seen in our yard.  I think this is the 4th time in almost 15 years.

A house sparrow sat in the swing over the fountain that we've had out for the hummingbirds and watched the finch.  The birds on the swing make us laugh.  We've not had a hummer on it yet but chickadees, baltimore orioles, gold finches, house sparrows and a red-breasted nuthatch have perched here this summer.

Being more mobile again, I have been able to help the Toronto Wildlife Centre get some migratory birds back on their journey after short stays in the centre due to window collisions.  It's always a great time out from my regular routine to help the centre and some birds.  I had my 600th bird release and it was a female american redstart.  Unfortunately the bird gave me only a glimpse of her as she left the paper bag and quickly disappeared in a nearby tree (leaves haven't started falling yet here in Toronto, heck, not even much colour change either).  Fortunately I took a picture of that paper bag containing #600.  Normally I don't do this but for some reason I did this time.

My 599th bird sat nicely in some nearby dogwood and I got a nice photo of it.  That bird was a northern parula.  In the big picture #599 IS just as special as #600 but me and my mini-milestones as I keep track.

We had an opossum showing up in the yard later in the summer, I may have touched upon this in a previous blog.  It's since disappeared and has been replaced by a smaller one who I have yet to see for myself but the trail cam picks it up by our back gate a few nights a week.  He comes pretty late, usually after 3 AM,  Today he was out there at 6 AM.  If I knew he was a guarantee to show up around 6, I might drag myself out of bed and wait on the steps for him.  I better not let Angie see this or she might just be the force to make this happen, well, getting me to wait outside for the opossum.  LOL!

One last bit before I go... on Friday morning before work a neighbour contacted me about a fox that showed up in her yard.  There's a blog worthy story all on it's own regarding this animal and that will be for another time soon.  Getting the invite to come over and see this animal for myself was a treat.  What a beauty!  I rarely see fox.  I only wish I brought my bigger/better lens but that's okay.  Stay tuned for this story in the next week or so.

Anyway, heading out for a very small family gathering.  

I wish you all a very happy Thanksgiving weekend, however you choose to spend it.